Source: Perkins Webcasts: "Addressing Issues of Sexuality with Students Who Are Visually Impaired – Jeff Migliozzi"
English teacher Jeff Migliozzi encourages introducing children early to concepts they will need to understand and master in adolescence and adulthood in these videos produced by Perkins School for the Blind. His six-part discussion explains the importance of giving children who are visually impaired the information they cannot observe on their own.
The Importance of Language in Early Sex Education (Video)
Puberty and Sexual Development (Video)
The Social and Sexual Implications of Personal Appearance (Video)
Strategies for Parents and Teachers (Video)
Preventing Exploitation Through Sex Education (Video)
Jeff Migliozzi remarks on the reluctance to speak frankly about sexual matters in American society. He notes, “The student who is blind needs to hear in words what is going on to get the best picture, and we as a society don't want to tell them.” Clear and explanatory language is the best way to help students who are blind or visually impaired understand the complex world of human sexuality. Migliozzi compares the sighted student’s advantage to that of observing a sport long before deciding to play. Observation gives the chance to learn the rules of the game from a safe distance.
The student will note that his or her body is changing, but may not be aware others around him or her are as well, or that these changes are expected. Some of the methods used to explain human development and sexuality to blind students are more successful than others; all depend on clear and accurate language. Education about our bodies gives us authority over them, and lays a foundation for a lifetime of body awareness.
Jeff Migliozzi shares some of his own revelations as a blind youngster, and credits his mother particularly for filling his daily experiences with descriptive information. Teaching opportunities are all around us, including dress, posture, proximity, and social hierarchies. Children must realize that others are observing them as well, and forming opinions based on what they see.